Windmill.



Patented Sept. 2, I902. T. W. LOWE.

WI N D M I L L. A plication filed Mar. 16', 1902,

Sheet I.

2 Sheets- (No Model.)

W/ TNESSES -A Tram/5 rs m: warms Farms c0, PHOTO LITHO.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

' Patented Sept. 2, l9fll2. T. W. LOWE.

W I N D M IL L.

(Application filed Mar. 15, 1902.)

2 Sheets-Shoot 2.

(No Model.)

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THEODORE-WICK LOWE, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

WINDIVIILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,375, dated September 2, 1902. Application filed March 15, 1902. Serial No. 98,330. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, THEODORE W101; LOWE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Windmills, of which'the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in windmills of that type which have come to be known as horizontal mills, said mill adapted to be used for power purposes, such as for pumping water, although the construction may also be employed for house-ventilation purposes and for other uses. The object of the present invention is the provision of an improved structure possessing the desirable features of simplicity, cheapness, durability, and ease and smoothness in operation; to so construct and arrange the fans or vanes that they will catch any breeze that may be stirring, thus making the wheel run in very light winds; to provide means by which the efiective area of thefans or vanes may be varied either by automatic mechanism or by hand-controlled devices; to render the vanes self-adjustin g according to winds of the desired strength, thus preventing the wheel from running at excessive speeds in case of high winds, and to provide a construction which requires very little lubrication.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novel combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention, showing it adapted for use as a windmill and representing it in connection with a tank and an automatic regulator mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the mechanisms shown by Fig. 1, the plane of the section being indicated by the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical section through the upper part of the vertical shaft and representing a portion of the vane-adjusting element in operative connection with said shaft. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing one means for connecting the adjusting-cable or its equivalent to a flexible vane or fan. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail perspective views of the levers adapted for use in connection with the float which is employed in the tank, the whole forming an automatic regulator adapted to throw the wheel out of thewind when the tank is filled to the proper level. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the upper cam-slotted por tion of the vertical shaft. Fig. 9 is a detail View of the lower part of the vertical. tubular shaft.

5 designates the vertical shaft, which is preferably hollow throughout its length, although said shaft may be made tubular at its upper portion only, as desired. Any suitable means may be adopted or employed for mounting this shaft within the ordinary tower. I have not considered it necessary to illustrate the particular means which I prefer to employ in order to reduce the friction on the shaft, because these parts are familiar to those skilled in the art, and they may be easily supplied by a skilled mechanic.

As shown more clearly by Fig. 2, the vertical shaft 5 may be enlarged or thickened near its upper portion, as indicated at 6, said thickened portion being provided with an external or male thread for a part of its length, as indicated at 7. This thickened portion of the vertical shaft receives the hub 8 of a carrier-ring 9, the latter being disposed in a horizontal position and being made fast with the shaft, so as to rotate therewith. 'Any suitable means may be resorted to for the rigid attachment of the carrier-ring to said vertical shaft; but as shown by Fig. 2 the hub 8 is secured upon the threaded and thickened part of the shaft. The carrier-ring and its hub are joined rigidly together through the intermediate series of radial arms or rods 10, the latter being curved somewhat, as shown by Fig. 2, so as to make the wheel which is formed by the ring, the hub, and the arms present a dished appearance. The

inner ends of the arms or rods 10 are secured firmly to the hub 8, while the outer ends of said arms are riveted or otherwise firmly secured to the under face of the carrier-ring 9. The upper face of this carrier-ring is inclined or beveled, as indicated at 11 in Fig. 2, and tosaid inclined face of the carrier-ring are firmly attached the supports or clips 12. These clips and the carrier-ring sustain a series of arbors 13, on which are loosely mounted the series of pulleys or sheaves 14, the latter partaking of the angular disposition of the inclined top face 11 of the carrier-ring, the utility of which will hereinafter appear.

Above the hub 8 of the carrier-ring is arranged a two-part hub which serves to firmly attach the series of vanes or fans to the vertical shaft. The members of this hub are indicated at 15 16, the same having flat faces to receive between themselves the inner portions of the blades or fans. The upper member 15 of the hub is in the form of a disk and is screwed upon the thickened and threaded part of the shaft 5. The other lower member of the hub is also screwed upon the thickened portion of the shaft and is provided with a collar 17, having a set-screw 18, the latter adapted to be adjusted so as to bind against the shaft and firmly clamp the hub thereon. Against the upper member 15 of the vane-holding hub is adjusted a set-nut 19, which is screwed upon the shaft and is turned down thereon into engagement with the hub member 15.

An upwardly-extending guide'sleeve 20 is fitted loosely around the enlarged portion 6 of the shaft and is arranged for the upper end of said sleeve to extend above said enlarged portion of the shaft. The lower end of the guide-sleeve 2O rests upon the set-nut 19, and said guide-sleeve is loosely surrounded by a flanged collar 21, the latter forming a seat for the lower end of thevertical coiled spring 22, said spring loosely surrounding the guide-sleeve 20 and extending a suitable distance above the same so as to properly engage with the under face of the vane-adjusting member, which is herein shown in the form of an axially-turnin g disk 23, the latter being hereinafter more fully described.

24 designates the series of vanes or fans, which may be made of any suitable pliable or flexible material-such, for example, as thin sheet metal, a specially-prepared form of papier-mach, or any other suitable material which will resist the effects of the weather and possesses the necessary pliability or flexibility. The series of vanes may be cut or stamped so as to be integral with a single sheet, or said vanes may be cut entire from the preferred material, thus giving each blade an individual character and making it separate from every other blade. The inner ends of the blades are of less width than the outer ends thereof, the blades thus taking a tapered form. The inner smaller ends of the blades are fitted between the members 15 16 of the hub, so as to be clamped firmly thereby to the vertical shaft, and each blade has one side edge thereof attached by a staple or otherwise to one of the curved rods 10, as indicated at 25. To the other edge of each blade is attached an adjusting-cable 26, the same serving to maintain said edge of the blade or vane in a position raised above that edge thereof which is attached to the arm 10. A cable 26 is employed in connection with each vane 24 of the series, and hence a number of these cables 26 are employed in the construction of the windmill, said cables being attached to the adjusting element or disk 23in a manner to be adjusted simultaneously thereby. Each cable 26 is attached to the rim or edge portion of the adjusting-disk 23 in any suitable wayas, for instance, at'27. The cable is then attached to the free edge portion of one of the vanes as, for example, by the eyebolt 28. (Shown more clearly by Fig. 4.) The cable then passes to and around one pulley 14 of the series on the carrier-ring 9, and finally the cable is carried back to the disk 23 and secured, as at 29, to the depending rim 23" of said adjusting-disk. From this description it will be seen that the cables are attached to the disk, are reeved around the pulleys 14- on the carrier-ring, and have individual engagement with the flexible vanes or blades. The disk 23 is adapted to be adjusted by giving an axially-turning movement thereto, and thus the operative lengths of the cables 26 may be varied for the purpose of raising or lowering the series of flexible vanes 24 simultaneously, whereby the active area of the vanes may be varied as desired. It is evident that when the cables 26 are drawn upon by turning the disk 23 in one direction the eyebolts 28 will be raised and the vanes or blades will be lifted above the plane of the carrierring 9, thereby increasing the active area of the flexible blades and making them catch the wind to the best advantage. On the contrary, a turning movement of the disk 23 in an opposite direction will slacken the pull of the cables 26 on the flexible blades, and the latter will be lowered more or less toward the plane of the carrier-ring, thereby decreasing the active area of the series of vanes and allowing the mill to run at a slower speed.

The adjusting-disk 23 is' provided with a hub 30, the same being fitted snugly to a vertical sleeve 31. The hub of the adjustingdisk is made fast to the sleeve 31 by any suitable means, such as the set-screw 32. The sleeve 31 fits loosely around the upper extremity of the shaft 5, and said sleeve 31 is adapted to fit into the upper open end of the guide-sleeve 20, the latter being seated upon the set-nut 19, as heretofore described. The upper end of the spring 22 is arranged loosely around the sleeve 31 of the adjusting-disk, and said upper extremity of said spring 22 is seated against the hub 30 of said disk, whereby the disk 23 is held to the upper limit of its movement on the shaft 5 by the energy of the spring 22.

The vertical shaft 5 is provided with camslots 33 34 at its upper extremity, said slots being formed in opposite sides of the tubular upper part of the shaft and the slots being arranged in reverse direction, as shown more clearly by Fig. 8. A shiftable pin extends loosely through the cam-slots 33 34 of the shaft, and this pin is secured firmly to the sleeve 31 of the adjusting-disk 23. A cable or other flexible connection 36 is attached to this pin 35, and it is carried lengthwise through the shaft 5 until it approaches the upper portion of a tank 37. At this point the cable or connection 36 is carried through an opening 38, provided in the shaft 5, and said cable is fastened to a shiftable collar 39, the latter being loosely fitted on or keyed to the shaft, as shown by Fig. 2.

The tank 37 is sustained by the tower in a raised position, as is usual in this art, and within this tank is disposed a float 40. On the float rests the curved end 41 of the lever 42, which is hung, as at 43, to the top edge of the tank 37. Loosely engaged with this lever 42 is the lower curved end or foot 44 of another lever 45, the same also being hung or fnlcrumed at 46 on the tank and provided with afork 47, the latter fitting loosely around the vertical shaft 5 and engaging with the shiftable disk 39. From this lever 45 depends a pull-cable 48, the latter extending downwardly to the ground and attached to a handlever or any other suitable means for the manipulation of said cable 48.

It is evident that the rise in the water of the tank will raise the float 40 and lift the levers 42 45. The forked end of the lever 45 will press downwardly upon the disk 39 and pull the cable 36 and the pin 35 in a downward direction. This downward movement of the pin 35, which is attached to the disk 23 through the medium of the sleeve 31, will cause the pin to turn, because it travels in the cam-slots of the shaft 5, and this turning movement of the disk serves to slacken the tension of the cables 26, thus allowing the vanes or blades 24 to be lowered toward the plane of the carrier-ring 9, thereby throwing the blades out of their active positions. The regulator mechanism thus serves to arrest the rotation of the wheel when the tank 37 becomes filled; but the operation of throwing the wheel out of thewind may also be obtained by operating the cable 48, which is attached to the lever 45.

The arrangement of the rollers 14 in the inclined positions on the carrier-ring 9 makes them partake of the inclination of the cables 26 between the adjusting-disk 23 and the carrier-ring, thereby enabling the cables 23 to work freely around the pulleys and reducing the friction on the several parts of the mill.

The vertical tubular shaft 5 is provided at its lower end with a grooved cam 50 or its equivalent, said cam adapted for the operation of a suitable transmitting device or devices, such as a lever, whereby a pump may be actuated to supply water to the tank, or said transmitting device may actuate other machinery.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A device of the class described, comprising a shaft, a rim having arms attached to the shaft, a series of elastic vanes clamped to the shaft and each having a side edge portion thereof attached to an arm of the rim, said vanes being normally held by the inherent elasticity thereof in the plane of the rim and the other side edges of the vanes being free or unconfined, and means connected with said free edges of the vanes to positively displace them and to vary the active area of the vanes by bending or deflecting the same with relation to the plane of the rim.

2. A device of the class described, com pris ing a shaft, a carrier-ring mounted fast on the shaft to rotate therewith, a series of pliable vanes clamped to the shaft and each having one edge con fined on the carrier-ring, a semirotary element loosely sleeved on the shaft, and means for imparting a slidable and rotary movement to said element, and connections between the adjusting element, the carrier-ring and the free edges of the pliable vanes.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a shaft, a rim having arms attached to the shaft, a series of elastic vanes attached to the shaft and to arms of the rim along one side edge of each vane, said vanes being normally held by their inherent elasticity in the plane of the rim, and the other side edges of the vanes being unconfined, aslidable and semirotary element having connection with the free edges of said vanes, a retraetor opposing the slidable movement of said element in one direction only, and means for imparting slidable movement to said element.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a shaft, a rim having arms attached to the shaft, a series of elastic vanes attached to said shaft and to arms of the rim along one side edge of each vane, said vanes being normally held by their inherent elasticityin the plane of the rim, and the other side edges of the vanes being unconfined, a slidable disk. having operative connection with the shaft and adapted to turn thereon simultaneously with its slidable movement, and individual connections between said disk and the free or unconfined edges of said vanes, whereby the movement of the disk in one direction serves to positively displace the elastic vanes with relation to the plane of the rim.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a shaft having a cam-slotted extremity, a rim having arms attached to the shaft, a series of elastic vanes attached to said shaft and to arms of the rim along one side edge of each vane, said vanes being normally held by their inherent elasticity in the plane of the rim, and the other side edges of said vanes being unconfined, a slidable and semirotary element loosely fitted on said shaft and having means arranged to travel in the cam-slotted &

portion thereof, a spring opposing the slidable movement of said element in one direction only, and individual connections between the slidable element and the free or unconfined edges of said vanes.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a shaft, a carrier-ring made fast with the shaft and having guide devices disposed in oblique positions, a series of vanes made fast with the shaft and connected with the carrier-ring, a semiturning element slidably mounted on the shaft, and cables attached to the vanes, reeved around the guide devices and fastened to the semiturning element.

7. A device of the class described, com prising a shaft having an intermediate threaded portion and a cam-slotted extremity, a hub secured to said shaft, a rim united by a series of rods to said hub, a nut screwed on said threaded portion of the shaft, a sleeve fitted loosely on the shaft and seated against said nut, a loose bearingcollar inclosing said sleeve and also seated against the nut, a disk provided with a sleeve which is loosely fitted on the shaft and is arranged to slide within the first-named sleeve, a spring surrounding the two sleeves and having one end seated against the bearing-collar and its other end seated against said disk, a pin attached to the sleeve of the disk and extending through the cam-slotted extremity of the shaft, a series of vanes attached to the hub and to the arms of the rim, and individual connections between the disk and the unconfined edges of said vanes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE WIOK LOWE.

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM B. HARDACRE, XVILLIAM ALOYSIUS HORSTMEYER. 

